Airbnb adds AI search, more social features

Airbnb has announced its fall product update, introducing new offline services, artificial intelligence-powered search capabilities, and expanded social features designed to aid travel discovery. As part of its efforts to compete with hotels, the company is adding services launched last year, including meal delivery, laundry, baby gear rental, and limited ski and boat rentals, while also expanding grocery delivery.

Additionally, Airbnb is launching an AI search tool that allows users to toggle text or voice prompts for property discovery, generating dynamic filters based on user preferences. CEO Brian Chesky noted that the system avoids a chatbot interface and includes AI-powered summaries and reviews to compare wishlist properties.

Furthermore, Airbnb is enhancing social features by enabling travelers to view a map of connections’ past and upcoming trips, alongside new neighborhood pages built from guest reviews. Users maintain a privacy option to opt out of sharing their trips. According to Chesky, the company plans to iterate quickly on the new AI search feature over the coming months.